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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.